The first NFL game on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Options for TV networks to exchange games. A franchise that plays two international games in one season.
These are some of the major changes to the NFL’s 2023 schedule and the first under the league’s new media rights deal. Signed in 2021, the deal, worth a total of about $110 billion, will go into effect this season with games scheduled to air on CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN and Amazon Prime Video. The NFL also signed a seven-year deal with YouTube in December for the rights to stream off-market games for up to $2.5 billion a year.
University of Southern California communications professor Danielle Durbin said the NFL is “pretty much a content provider for the media,” and that “it’s the NFL’s biggest source of revenue, so it’s trying to bend itself.” said. To serve that purpose beyond players, fans, coaches and even teams. “
The league was due to announce all games on Thursday night via telecast, but several matchups have leaked in the days leading up to the official announcement. Over the past decade, the league has successfully turned offseason events such as drafts and scouting into television spectacles, so the NFL Network and ESPN have both aired their schedule announcements during primetime.
thursday morning, announced by the NFL The regular-season opener is scheduled for Thursday, September 7. The reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Detroit Lions, who have won eight of their last 10 games in 2022.The Lions have four players, including receiver Jameson Williams, who were suspended last month for violating the NFL’s gambling policy and are expected to contest a playoff spot in the NFC.
The Jets were one of those teams. Posted Featured Matchups On Wednesday, he took to social media to celebrate the announcement that the team will host a Black Friday game against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 24. The game will be streamed on Amazon, which began broadcasting Thursday night games last year.
The Jets will face longtime AFC East rivals with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers on what is traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but the NFL will be playing on the day. will be held for the first time.
Rodgers’ first game with the Jets will be a “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.
Last season, the NFL aired three games on Christmas Day for the first time on Sunday, challenging the home of the NBA directly with its Christmas TV lineup. With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, professional football has a strong schedule packed with games that will once again attract crowds.
Kansas City will face the Las Vegas Raiders before the Giants face the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last season’s divisional playoff round.
Another change brought about by the new media deal is that the NFL will have the freedom to reslot games on different networks and have more flexibility in changing kickoff times. Under the old media rights deal, Fox aired most NFC road games and CBS aired most AFC road games, but this season N.FL. can.
Previously, “Monday Night Football” games were fixed at the beginning of the season, but ABC and ESPN urge leagues to move Sunday games to Mondays if there are more compelling matchups than those scheduled. It became possible. Such moves may only be made between Weeks 12-17 of the 18-week regular season.
Teams could play multiple Thursday night games this season, and some players are uneasy about the change.Patrick Mahomes, last season’s Most Valuable Player and one of the most popular NFL athletes, has expressed displeasure in social media posts March.
Players and coaches have traditionally been reluctant to play on Thursday nights due to the short time between Sunday’s game and the match four days later. Fans and even Amazon’s flagship broadcaster, Al Michaels, have complained about the poor quality of Thursday’s game.
“There is no one in our organization who doesn’t put the fans first,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in March. “It’s clear that it’s our job to give our fans the best matchups. That’s part of what our scheduling has always been about.”
The NFL will continue its efforts to expand leagues overseas, hosting five international games. Last season added a regular-season game in Germany for the first time, with two more in 2023, with Miami playing Kansas City on November 5 and the Indianapolis Colts playing New England on November 12. Challenge the Patriots.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, who have played in London almost every year since 2012, will become the first NFL team to play two international games in one season. Team owner Shahid Khan is also the owner of Premier League team Fulham FC, and the Jaguares will use the football club’s training facilities from Oct. 1 against the Atlanta Falcons until Oct. 8 against the Bills. will use.